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Tuesday, Oct. 25 '16, כ"ג בתשרי תשע"ז
HEADLINES:
1. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY ISSUES UNESCO ULTIMATUM
2. WATCH: TORAH CELEBRATION - IN TEL AVIV NIGHT CLUB
3. WATCH: MUSLIMS SIT ON JEWISH PRAYER SHAWLS IN AIRPORT SHUL
4. 'I'M HAPPY THAT MUSLIMS PRAYED IN AN ISRAELI SYNAGOGUE'
5. 'BUS DRIVER SMASHED MY PHONE, THREW ME OUT IN MIDDLE OF NOWHERE'
6. 'TRUMP BETTER FOR ISRAEL - BUT ISRAELI MEDIA AIDING CLINTON'
7. SCARLETT JOHANSSON OPENS POPCORN CHAIN IN PARIS
8. ISRAELI POLICE CHIEF DANCES WITH TORAH SCROLLS IN TEL AVIV
1. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY ISSUES UNESCO ULTIMATUM
by Nitsan Keidar
The Palestinian Authority sent a letter Monday night to 21 member nations of the United Nation's World Heritage Committee and who are set to vote Wednesday on another UNESCO decision regarding Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, and the Western Wall.
In their letter, the PA abstained from describing Israel as an "occupying power," presumably to soften their anti-Israel stance.
While the Palestinian Authority is not a voting member of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, Jordan has lent its backing to the PA.
In the new resolution, the name "Western Wall" which was in quotes, is now written without quotes. However, the Temple Mount is still referred to as "Al-Aqsa Haram e-Sharif" and is still recognized as an exclusively Muslim site, with no mention of the Temple Mount or its significance for Jews anywhere in the document.
However, after several countries announced they would not vote for the "Palestinian cause" this time, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan have begun to threaten the voting countries.
Political sources say the threat to change UNESCO's decision is "an action that crosses political red lines and reeks of pressure and desperation. It's obvious that the PA and Jordan are trying to force a consensus to which there will be no opposition, and they're doing everything they can to push that agenda forward."
Israeli UNESCO ambassador Carmel Shama said, "The Palestinians' ultimatum and their threats only emphasize their position and expose them as liars and bullies. We're making global diplomatic efforts to prevent unanimous anti-Israel agreements on Jerusalem - and this letter from the Arabs is an excellent sign that we're moving in the right direction.
"The Arabs understand that after Mexico and Italy, they may be in for an unpleasant surprise, and they're shouting: Stop deserting us or we'll burn down your decision-making club with extreme anti-Israel decisions that will harm your organization in the long term," Shama concluded.
2. WATCH: TORAH CELEBRATION - IN TEL AVIV NIGHT CLUB
by Chana Roberts
[youtube:2020234]
A nightclub in Tel Aviv celebrates the end of the week-long Sukkot and Simchat Torah holiday with a round of "second hakafot."
"Second hakafot" are dances with the Torah immediately after Simchat Torah ends in Israel. The celebration is often thought of as something Israelis do "to be in sync" with our brothers abroad, who celebrate Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah as two separate holidays, and hold Simchat Torah celebrations when Israel's holiday is already over.
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3. WATCH: MUSLIMS SIT ON JEWISH PRAYER SHAWLS IN AIRPORT SHUL
by Arutz Sheva
Jews in Ben Gurion Airport were dismayed to discover Turkish Muslims praying in the airport's shul, on the eve of the holiday of Simchat Torah. The Muslims were using Jewish prayer shawls (tallits) as prayer rugs.
It is not clear if someone gave the Muslims permission to use the synagogue.
A video of the event was uploaded to Facebook by Yossi Cohen:
4. 'I'M HAPPY THAT MUSLIMS PRAYED IN AN ISRAELI SYNAGOGUE'
by Ido Ben Porat
While the recently released video of Turkish Muslims praying in the airport synagogue in Ben-Gurion and using Jewish prayer shawls as floor mats sparked an uproar among many Israelis, one Knesset Member says he was happy to see the recording, and sees no reason for consternation.
"Where is the embarrassment? I couldn't find any," wrote MK Yehuda Glick (Likud) on Facebook.
"I myself prayed in a mosque, and I'm happy that Muslims prayed in a synagogue. It is certainly better than having Muslims desecrate a synagogue or the Temple Mount."
Rabbi David Menachem, rabbi of the Mishkan Yosef synagogue in Jerusalem, expressed similar sentiments.
"A group of Muslims from Turkey innocently prayed in the airport synagogue in Ben-Gurion. Innocently and in honor of God."
Regarding the use of prayer shawls on the floor – considered a sign of disrespect in Judaism – Rabbi Menachem was forgiving.
"They don't know what a tallit [prayer shawl] is, and they used it as a prayer mat. They didn't have any intention to disrespect or harm," wrote Rabbi Menachem on Facebook.
5. 'BUS DRIVER SMASHED MY PHONE, THREW ME OUT IN MIDDLE OF NOWHERE'
by David Rosenberg
Officials at the Afikim bus company are investigating claims made by a young haredi man that he was attacked by one of the company's bus drivers and thrown off of a bus in the middle of a highway at night.
According to BeHadrei Haredim, the young man, D., boarded a bus of Afikim's 422 line connecting Jerusalem to Bnei Brak last Thursday evening.
The bus was packed, but D. saved a spot for his friend, who was supposed to board the bus at a later stop in Jerusalem and travel with D. to Bnei Brak.
The trouble began, the D. claims, when he asked the driver to stop at the Ramot junction bus stop, where his friend was waiting to board. The driver refused D.'s request, saying there was no room left on the bus.
Despite D.'s explanation that there was in fact one seat left, the driver remained steadfast in his refusal. When D. began asking the driver for identifying information, he refused. When D. repeated his request, the driver allegedly became agitated, grabbed D.'s phone and smashed it on the floor of the bus.
When D. continued to demand the driver's name, his response became increasingly aggressive.
"I again asked for his name, but this time the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes on the side of the road, and all the passengers went flying," D. told BeHadrei Haredim. I went back to my seat and asked someone to lend me their phone so I could talk with my father."
After the phone call, when D. approached the driver yet again, the latter slammed on the brakes again, took hold of the young man, and dragged him off of the bus in the middle of Route 433 – far from any bus stop.
In response to the report, Afikim spokesman Shai Malka issued a statement on behalf of the company, saying that "The issue is still under investigation. The matter has been sent to the relevant authorities to clarify [what happened]. We will update [the public] as soon as the inquiry has been completed and we receive the results."
But, Malka added, "With that being said, since the customer did not approach the relevant authorities in the company [with his complaint], we request his contact information so that we may complete the inquiry."
"In any event, this is a very serious complaint, and if it turns out to be accurate, we will take the necessary measures."
6. 'TRUMP BETTER FOR ISRAEL - BUT ISRAELI MEDIA AIDING CLINTON'
by David Rosenberg
While Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his surrogates have accused mainstream media outlets in the United States like CNN, ABC, The New York Times, and the Washington Post of giving his opponent, Hillary Clinton, more favorable coverage, it appears that foreign news agencies may also have the same perceived inclination towards the Democratic nominee.
A new poll conducted by Maagar Mochot shows that Israelis believe the Israeli media gives Mrs. Clinton more favorable coverage than Mr. Trump.
According to the poll, which was published on Monday, among respondents who expressed an opinion, 45% say the Israeli media treated Clinton more favorable, compared to just 27% who said it treated Trump more favorably. Twenty-eight percent say the media treated the two equally.
Interestingly, Arab Israelis were far more likely to say the Israeli media favored Clinton, with 66% saying she receives better coverage, compared to 15% who said Israeli news agencies give Trump more favorable coverage. Among Israeli Jews, the margins were tighter, with 40% saying Clinton gets better coverage, compared to 30% who said Trump is shown in a more favorable light.
Israelis also believe that a Trump presidency would better serve Israel's interests than a Clinton White House, with 54% of respondents who expressed an opinion saying Trump would be better for Israel, compared to 46% who said Clinton would.
Arab Israelis were far more likely to say Trump would better serve Israel's interests as president, by a margin of 74-26. Among Jews the margin was nearly even, with 51% saying Trump would be better for Israel, compared to 49% who said Clinton would be.
7. SCARLETT JOHANSSON OPENS POPCORN CHAIN IN PARIS
by Yoel Domb
Pro-Israeli Jewish actress Scarlett Johansson, who aroused the wrath of the BDS organization in the past when she advertised Israeli company SodaStream, opened a popcorn chain last week in an upscale area of Paris.
Johansson attended the opening of the first branch of the chain in the Marais quarter of Paris and even served popcorn to the many fans who filled the streets outside the store in the hope of obtaining a portion of popcorn and getting to see the actress up close.
Johansson revealed in a press release that she has dreamed for a number of years of bringing the popcorn passion to Paris and added that she hopes it will turn into a "symbol of the friendship between the two cities I love most, Paris and New York."
In the past Johansson paid a price for the BDS opposition to her representing the Soda Stream company in their advertisements. The BDS attacked Soda Stream for manufacturing products in Judea and Samaria, eventually forcing the company to relocate to the Negev.
Johansson defended Soda Stream, saying that "SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights. That is what is happening in their Ma'ale Adumim factory every working day."
As a result of Johannson's statement she lost her position as Ambassador for British charity organization Oxfam.
SodaStream, which operates 25 factories worldwide offering products which allow users to carbonate beverages at home, said that its factory had employed 550 Palestinians who were afforded the same benefits as Israeli workers. In the wake of the company's relocation many of these workers lost their jobs.
8. ISRAELI POLICE CHIEF DANCES WITH TORAH SCROLLS IN TEL AVIV
by Arutz Sheva Staff
[youtube:2020239]
Hundreds of people turned out for a post-Sukkot celebration of Israeli culture, Jewish heritage, and brotherly love.
During the "second hakafot" in a Tel Aviv nightclub, an Israeli police chief danced with the Torah.
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